Washington License Plates

Washington is now screening specialty plates and has been since March 2005. This includes plates such as the WSU alumni plates (which had been embossed since their initial release back in 1997), Vanpool plates, and vanity plates. The color scheme has not changed and the font used on the screened plates very closely resembles the dies used on embossed plates, so they don't stand out as much as the screened plates in some other states.

As of 2008, vanities are available on specials types, with a different Montana-style font. Also, Frank Astalosh reports that Trailer plates are now available for specialty types with numbering starting at 90000. Mike Kraft advises that specialty types for Motorcycle plates are also available with numbering starting at 95000.

Stickers

11 - white on black

12 - white on blue

13 - white on red

14 - white on green

15 - white on black

16 - white on blue

17 - white on red

Standard Passenger Plates

Passenger

Seven character plates are now in use. The letters I, O, and Q will not be used in the third position on the new 7 character plates. Although I is not used, 3000 AGI series plates were made by mistake, and they were all issued in Snohomish County so as to not to waste the material. AIA-AIZ was issued. AOA-AOZ is being used in the 7 character plates, but it was not used in the original 1987 format. Washington uses the same die for the letter O and 0 (zero.)

ATF series will be skipped.

Low: AAA0000

Highs spotter Paul Petrinovich has AAA0123.

From Andy DeCeunynck - The earliest 7-digit plates were issued in Whitman County (Colfax, Pullman). The series in question started at 700-ZZY, skipped ZZZ plates (which are being issued in blocks of 100 presumably in 10 places throughout the state), and then resumed in the 7-digit regime, going up to AAA0399.

In the previous 123-ABC format, PIx, POx, PQx, and PUx were skipped, but Washington does issue those letters in the third position. Prior to this, Washington skipped KOx and FXx (plus AOx and AQx in 1987 but O and Q were used in any other position until AWO and AWQ) for unknown reasons. All WXx series were also skipped.

Kyle Wasson - 3 Aug ’18

Non-passenger Plates

Disabled Veteran

These plates are now screened and use a font similar to typical Washington plate dies. The change to no spacing between the letters and numbers was around 7800DV. The next series after 9999DV will be DV00000.

Trailer

Trailer - small

These are 4x7" (Motorcycle size) plates for smaller trailers. Full size plates are progressing slower since the introduction of the smaller type.

Note: There are plates of this type in the WW series, so they appear to be higher than the current issues, but WW was the first series used on these plates when they began in 1/87. Upon reaching 9999WW, the series started over at WA, and has been progressing forward from there.

After issuing the entire series 0000WA-9999WZ they have started to issue these plate in the QA series and will continue until the QZ series.

Kyle Wasson - 1 Jul ’18

Truck

Paul Petrinovich advises that after reaching B99999H, the series progressed to B00000K, skipping the BnnnnnI and BnnnnnJ series. Only a few BnnnnnM series plates were issued, then the BnnnnnN appeared.

Andy DeCeunynck reports that only the first 6000 BxxxxxM plates were issued (technically, B05999M would be the last one). In Franklin County (Pasco), he observed a truck series of 1000 plates that started at B05500M, went to B05999M and then did B00000N through B00499N.

Apportioned Truck: 57208RP (Flat) 2016-02-09 Willie C, Brock, Jr.

This type began in 1987. The original series used a PR suffix. After reaching 99999PR, the series continued in the RP series. This type went flat around 90nnnPR.

Breast Cancer Awareness

Central Washington University

Nick Gallegos reports a new background for this plate. Skyline view of Ellensburg no longer on plate. Stylized watermark of CWU logo now on background with mountain caricature graphic on bottom of plate. The changeover is around 1600.

Walter Wong - 10 Sep ’10

Coast Guard

Eastern Washington University

Another new design: Plate is all red with WASHINGTON on top and Eastern Washington University on bottom in white text. Middle of plate is black with EWU logo on the left and the E/W/U stack in the middle with the plate # (also in white text).

Earlier new design - includes the popular EWU Eagle logo featured on the previous series, with silhouettes of cheering fans in the background and the words National Champions inscribed in red on the bottom.

Low: E/W/U0027 Paul Petrinovich

Kyle Wasson - 19 May ’18

Firefighter

Paul Petrinovich reports that the only F/F prefix Firefighter plates that were made were samples. All of the actual issued plates have been with the P/F prefix for Professional Firefighter. The F/F was going to be just for firefighters, both professional and volunteer.

Gonzaga University

Keep Kids Safe

Kid Speak

Sponsored by the Free Masons for charities to help children with speech problems.

Standard embossed font appears to have started at M/M2000. This is also what happened when the L/E/M and P/F plates reached 2000.

From Andy DeCeunynck: I have now seen three plates below 2000 that are in the standard embossed font. The Masonic/Kid Speak plates started in 2004 and most were issued in the first couple years so these are likely replacements of the original flat plates.

Seattle Seahawks

Plate S/H00026 and the driver were shown on the news since that is the first plate issued to the general public. Plates S/H00002-S/H00025 were auctioned off for charity. Over 1900 plates were issued the first day.

State Parks

University of Washington

The W graphic is the same, but the lettering on this latest high is very similar to the lettering on Montana plates. Probably started at 2500A. Paul Petrinovich reports that the narrow font plates were a mistake, using the vanity plate font. They will be reissued with the correct font.

Walter Wong reports the narrow font has returned on the new purple design.

A new redesigned UW plate was introduced 2013-11-29. The plate will begin being issued the following week. It has a purple background and the W is gold (School Colors) The last W 1234A plate will be W8699A and the first new one will be W 8000A. These will also be available on motorcycle plates like the WSU plates are. Lower numbers will appear on the new base since holders of the previous base have the option of updating to the new base with their previous number.

Volunteer Firefighter

Washington State University

The formats WSU1234 and 1234WSU have been exhausted, hence this new format.

The registration number appears on the left side of the plate, followed by the logo, then the stacked WSU on the right.

WSU came out with a new plate in January 2012. It is a simple crimson (red) plate with white lettering and the WSU Cougar logo on the right side. The last plate on the original style was K975, and the first crimson plate was K976.

Low: W/S/U0001 Paul Petrinovich

Paul Petrinovich advises that when Y999WSU is reached, the plates will start over at W/S/U000A. Z000W/S/U series is used for motorcycle plates, although Paul saw Z097W/S/U on a car. The DOL confirmed that some Z plates were being issued to cars, and that Z500W/S/U to Z999W/S/U is reserved for motorcycles.